Looking Through Your Eyes
by nyahchatnoir
Summary: Help Wanted: In serious need of a caretaker for a blind man. Requirements for employment: Someone who is kind, willing to help, and believes in their self. Someone who is trustworthy and willing to offer their assistance full time. Good company and payment offered; the perfect remedy for heartbreak. BaronxHaru. Human AU.
1. Marry You

**Nothing referenced from the movie Cat Returns belongs to me. The only thing I own is the plot. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _It's a beautiful night,  
We're looking for something dumb to do.  
Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you._  
\- Bruno Mars "Marry You"

* * *

It was in the middle of a bright, noon sun that Haru Yoshioka could barely reign her excitement, as she spoke on the phone with her best friend of fifteen years, Hiromi Sato. The first woman was simply ecstatic, while the later seemed much less than thrilled, only continuing to fumble awkwardly from her side of the line. They had met when Hiromi first moved into her class during the second grade, and the pair had been inseparable ever since.

Haru smiled confidently through her cellphone, "I think it's time Hiromi. If there was any other time, then I would know it. I _know_ him, Hiromi. It's time."

In the brunette's eyes was a hopeful sparkle, and she walked energetically around her apartment, practically gushing over her boyfriend of two years. Machida Hiroshi was his name, and just the very thought of taking on his last name had her sighing contentedly, almost feeling a jolt of electricity run down her spine. It was so energizing!

Haru was simply infatuated with him. The feeling was amazing, making her feel both exhilarated and sick at the same time. Their love was amazing. Machida was amazing. The woman was in love, and she was falling ever-deeper in love with him with each passing day. She fell into the comfy cushions of her twoseater love seat with a dopey smirk.

Hiromi sighed from her place on the other side of the line and gave a nervous laugh at her friend's enthusiasm. Eventually, she forced out a gentle tone, "I hear you Haru, really I do… but I'm still not so sure about Machida. Just please don't put too much hope into tonight, okay? You're my best friend, and I love you a lot. Whatever happens, just don't think that it defines you or anything."

The hesitance that Haru heard in Hiromi's voice had her laughing through the receiver, "It is our two year anniversary, Hiromi. At the very least, I think _I_ should be capable of being able to tell if my Machida is having any doubts or not, and he is definitely not having any doubts. Besides, even his own _mother_ told me that he was planning on popping the question to me someday. He is definitely going to propose tonight, Hiromi. I _know_ he is. Why else would he book us for such a fancy and upscale restaurant tonight? Don't worry about little ol' me, Hiromi. By the end of the night, I will be a nothing but the happiest girl in the world."

There was no doubt in Haru's voice, and Hiromi felt her heart drop into the very pit of her stomach. The honey-haired woman chuckled nervously, although she suddenly felt extremely guilty, and she abruptly cleared out her throat.

"Hey Haru," she called, trying to catch Haru's attention.

The usually level-headed brunette felt like she was on cloud nine at the thought of finally getting hitched. It had been two long, glorious years of dating for the pair of young adults, and Haru truly believed that Machida was ready for marriage… He had to be ready for marriage. Surely he was just as willing as she was.

Haru accidentally pushed through Hiromi's calls and said, "Hey is it okay if I go? I really need to get ready for my date and-"

The brunette sniffed inelegantly down at her shoulder, and her nose curled up in mild disgust, "Wow, I desperately need a shower. Gotta go, Hiromi!"

"Wait Haru, I need to tell you-" Haru hung up on the woman and sighed contentedly, pulling in her arms to giddily hug herself. She would apologize to her best friend later. Dressing up in her finest clothes was what was important for her now; the best shoes and the finest makeup. Her hair would have to be washed and curled, too in her eager preparation for what was sure to be one of the greatest nights of the brunette's life.

Haru did not feel guilty for hanging up on Hiromi. Her friend had done the same thing to her before, so she would later understand her actions, and besides, Hiromi would always forgive Haru. No matter what it was… That is, if Haru used her skills to give her a pair of carefully-crafted, brown puppy dog eyes. With the payment of telling her every last detail of the night, of course.

"I can't believe this is happening," Haru quickly whispered, raising a hand up to her long dark locks. The brunette's bright eyes widened, and another wave of happiness washed over her. Excitedly, she swiftly began to wiggle her way back into the cushions of her loveseat for a minute, before expertly hopping out of their depths to run fervently toward her closet. Her arms reached for her dresses.

"Okay, I've gotta go! This is a code twenty-three nineteen, people, we have a twenty-three nineteen."

Haru grinned widely, eagerly shuffling through her modest collection of plain party dresses. All of them were in various shades of red and black, but each of them was beautiful and came with a different memory, and now she had to pick out the right one for _this_ memory. An elegant hum left her lips, as she shifted her hangers one after another until she finally came unto the right dress.

"Perfect!" Haru heard herself say in wonder, as she gazed down at the dress, "I think this is what the night calls for. Petite and sexy, and _so_ completely unlike my character."

Still, the joke urged Haru to want to wear the garb. Pulling out the short and slender, velvety one shoulder length dress, the woman grinned happily and inelegantly threw her choice for the night onto her bed. Continuing to hum, the brunette drug out a pair of shiny black pumps to go along with it. She thoughtlessly threw those onto the bed beside it.

Haru paused and clicked her tongue at the garments on her bed. Something was missing, and the thought had escaped her… Suddenly, she visibly slapped her forehead.

"Bath, duh," she chided, forcing a bit of pep into her step as she made her way over to the bathroom, "God, what is wrong with you Haru. You'd think that I had went over the deep end or something. Gotta get clean, gotta get clean."

Haru rapidly got undressed and turned on all of the faucets of her tub, quickly sticking a stopper in its drain. Feeling a light song leave her lips, she sang, as she pulled out a clean towel from her bathroom cabinets. After a few minutes, the woman carefully stepped a foot into the tub of warm water. She laid herself down into the small pool of liquid, and smiled gratefully, eventually leaning up to cease the flow of water. A content sigh left her, as she leaned her head against the cool wall behind her.

"A girl could get used to this," she allowed herself to moan, further leaning into the tub.

Airily, Haru reached over to grab the body wash sitting beside her. It was a struggle for the woman to continue to wash herself, the comfortable and soothing feel of the loch beginning to lull her into a deep exhaustion. No matter; the woman shook her head. She blinked her eyes rapidly.

"No Haru, you are a woman on a mission. Wake _up_!" She commanded, and with that the woman began to scrub herself down with a new-found energy. The woman left no piece of skin unclean and made sure that every strand of long brown hair was carefully lathered and washed. First, she used her shampoo.

Then, Haru let out a light groan when she unfortunately picked up her conditioner.

"I'm out again?" The grown woman cried incredulously, "Ugh, it's almost like I'm always buying these things. Where is it all going?"

The wet, soapy mound of brown mess on Haru's head kind of answered the self-asked question. She let out a light laugh at herself.

"Oh, right."

Then, the joyful brunette persisted to wash out her hair, letting out a few playful hums. She laid back into the depths of her ever-cooling tub of water. Rinsing out her hair, she scrubbed and scrubbed until everything had left her hair. After a lengthy minute of dowsing her head in a bunch of bubbly H2O, the woman sat up in the tub and turned her gaze down to the offending object sitting next to her. A pitying laugh escaped her lips, and she carefully reached over for the sharp, little gadget.

Haru let a bemused smirk cross her features at the chore that she had been doing since she was thirteen, and she craned her neck, speaking cryptically toward the ceiling above her, "Oh, you might want to come back after this if you don't want to see any blood. I have never been the best at this."

She submissively reached behind her and took hold of the modest can of shaving cream that she owned, squirting a handful of the cold substance into the middle of her palm. She steadily began to rub it over her legs, smiling to herself when she got up a good coating of lather.

"Well, these legs aren't going to shave themselves, ya know!"

* * *

Haru stepped precariously out from her bathtub, and found a steady footing, gripping tightly at the bright bath towel that was wrapped around her midsection. It was large over her tiny frame, and it left everything to the imagination, completely covering up all of her womanly parts, but the woman did not care. All that she was worried about was drying her hair with her hairdryer and getting dressed up for her special, sure to be spectacular date with Machida.

 _Ah, Machida._

A wistful sigh left Haru's mouth, and she made her way toward her vanity, a broad smile breaking out across her plain features. Her dark eyes lit up with a breathtakingly new spark in them.

Though Haru was far from being the loveliest woman in the world, it was her pure heart that made her truly beautiful to everyone that she knew. While she was growing up, her relatives had always referred to her as "the good one in the bunch," meaning that she never crass or selfish. No one with a good conscience could wish any ill-will toward her. It was simply _impossible_ to hate Haru. She was too sweet and kind for anyone to ever truthfully despise.

"Now, to fix this wet mop-"

The thin Japanese woman sat down and cheerfully grabbed at her hairdryer. Eagerly bringing the rush of warm air continuously down her long brown mane, the girl brushed haphazardly at the dark mess sitting on her head and belted out a translated version of a pop song about big butts that were unable to lie. She hopped in her seat jokingly along to the beat in her head, and let herself loose for the moment, the crude words from the song chirping subconsciously from her lips.

It was a secret that Haru liked to keep from her mother, but she absolutely _loved_ rap. Although her mother, gentle Naoko, would have been _much_ less than thrilled to learn of this little tidbit about her seemingly 'innocent' recently-turned-college-student daughter, but Haru liked to chop her mother's over-protectiveness up to the fact that her mother had been a single parent ever since Haru was seven. The reason: Haru's father cheated on her mother with her mother's best friend. Some friend she was, humph.

Haru finished blow-drying her hair and rested the cooling gizmo on the table in front of her. She ran the brush a few more times down her back, before she searched for a hairband and swiftly pulled her hair up into an airtight, slightly painful bun, but then smiled into her vanity mirror. It was worth the slight tears that she had to suddenly wipe away from her eyes, as she bit back a pained whimper from the tightness of her bangs.

Beaming almost sadly through her pain, the brunette skillfully began to cake her face with a light coating of makeup, and turned her head to gaze at her face from all angles. It was covered in an array of dainty blushing strokes, and a bit of white eyeshadow sat above her eyes. She applied some mascara onto her eyelashes and accidentally poked herself in the eye with a sharp bristle.

"Ouch!" The woman cried, carefully babying the skin around her injured eyeball.

Haru caressed it softly, audibly urging the pain to leave her person. Sure, beauty was painful sometimes, but maybe it was worth it… The brunette had unfortunately learned that truth very early in life, and it was all thanks to her mother's gorgeously skinny ex-best friend who ran away with her father, the unfaithful bastard.

The woman visibly shook her head at herself, "No, there is no need in thinking about that right now, Haru. Focus on Machida. Focus on Machida…"

Repeating that mantra within her head had the woman eventually sticking pins into her hair, a blissful gleam inside her hazel orbs.

"Now that's more like it," She grinned approvingly at her reflection, and then turned to gaze at her backside, a gleeful joke edging its way onto her tongue. A small rush of confidence surged through her and she remarked, "Ooh, and just _look_ at that beautiful booty."

The praise in Haru's tone made her stand up with a dorky chuckle escaping her throat. She strolled on over to her bed and picked up the dress, the edges of her lips turning upward as she marveled at the soft feeling of the fabric that was grasped within her hands. _This_ was the dress, Haru thought to herself, gazing in wonder at the contrast against her lightly tanned skin. The brunette was sure of it.

With an eager stride, Haru held the dress protectively up to her breast and sauntered over to the full-length body mirror that sat in the corner closest to her closed window, stopping in sheer awe at what she saw. The woman held the dress out in front of her tiny body, mentally imagining what her body would look like within its tight and conforming shape… Perfect.

She grinned goofily at her reflection, before a suddenly sure and completely serious gleam entered her eyes.

 _Oh, yeah._

With how great Haru was going to look tonight, her boyfriend Machida would have absolutely no choice _but_ to ask her to marry him now, even though she would never force him into doing anything that he did not want to. Consent was completely important to her… Although the sexy quality of her clothing _could_ possibly be seen as a very persuasive and valiant effort for trying to win the fight for his favor. Ever the more reason for Haru to try her hardest to ensure his affections for her, the woman jokingly reasoned.

The two dark haired adults were perfect together, and it was high time for the young girl to settle down with her high school crush. The two were practically _soulmates_ , they were so close to one another.

At least, the young Haru had _thought_ they were.

* * *

 **Warning: Possible feels coming up within the next few chapters. Read and review with caution, my dear friends, as I attempt to make my way into the Cat Returns fandom. Wish me good luck, and I hope you enjoy!**


	2. U & Ur Hand

_I'm not here for your entertainment.  
You don't really want to mess with me tonight.  
Just stop and take a second,  
I was fine before you walked into my life  
Cause you know it's over  
Before it begins.  
Keep your drink,  
just give me the money.  
It's just you and your hand tonight.  
_\- Pink "U+Ur Hand"

* * *

"I hope you like it," Machida quipped, talking about the restaurant that they had just walked into, while moving his gaze away from Haru's own. Thankfully for him, the brunette failed to notice, as she attempted to swallow her growing excitement and moved to sit down at their table. She allowed him to push in her chair for her. Her boyfriend spoke with a tone of indifference, "It _was_ quite expensive to be honest."

In response, Haru feigned embarrassment and playfully blushed at the man. She placed a comforting hand over his arm, as he sat down across from her and lamented, "Oh Machida, you should know by now that you don't have to spend any money on me in order to make me happy, but the sentiment _is_ really sweet of you. Thank you for bringing me here. This place truly is beautiful."

Haru looked around at the glowing candles surrounding them and completely missed the forced upward turn of Machida's lips, as he glanced up at her. She blinked when he quickly threw his gaze back down, but all that she could categorize his behavior as was pre-proposal jitters. Yes, that had to be the reason. A heartfelt smile edged its way across the woman's features. It was understandable that her boyfriend would be nervous. Anyone in his current position would be at least a little on edge. The response was only natural.

Haru's hand lightly continued to stroke his arm.

Machida swallowed and looked uneasily down at her hand. He cleared out his throat awkwardly, "Right. Um… Wow, I don't entirely know what to say."

Haru felt a giggle building up in her throat, and she crossed her legs daintily beneath the table. She squeezed his arm one last time, before moving it down to hold her hands politely in her lap. A beautiful, red-lipped smile lit up her features.

 _Oh, my Machida can be such a big silly-head at times._

"Just say whatever is in your heart, sweetie," the hazel-eyed woman crooned sweetly. She could already feel herself beginning to get swept away by her strong affections for her boyfriend. She sent him a flatteringly loving beam, "You know that you can tell me anything, right?"

The question made Machida pause, his dark eyes lifting a little. Finally, he nodded and gave her a weak smile. His girlfriend gifted him with a comforting gaze. She watched with relieved eyes, as he ultimately let out a grateful sigh.

Suddenly, Haru felt overly confident, "And besides, it is just like what Jiminy Cricket said. 'Always let your heart be your guide'."

Haru felt completely cheesy, but it was okay to be at least a little sentimental when your significant other was about to propose to you, at least, she assumed so. Just a little bit of cheese to beautifully top an otherwise perfect night.

Machida allowed himself a thin laugh at that, but ever the stickler for perfection, the man quickly and curtly corrected her, "Well actually the quote is 'always let your conscience be your guide', and I definitely see your point Haru, but I think that it would be nice to just wait until we have finally ordered our food before we start to really talk. I just-"

Machida took in a deep breath. He then let it out slowly.

He looked into Haru's eyes and admitted, "I just _really_ want this night to be about us, Haru."

The woman in question felt her heart flutter at his words, and a dopey grin overtook her features. A slightly uncomfortable expression entered Machida's gaze. He knew that she was absolutely love drunk for him, and although he had actually joked about that fact on numerous occasions afore, the jokes had been coming from him less and less over the past few weeks-

No matter though. Haru was unwilling to think about her conversation with Hiromi earlier.

Haru _knew_ that she loved him, so surely he loved her too, right? Machida had to love her. He had to. Who would have been crazy enough to stay with someone that they did not even love? Surely not Machida. The man was her drug, filling her with an amazing warmth and a firm sense of belonging. It fueled a certain desire within her. Sure, she loved alcohol. Liquor was great. Alcohol was wonderful, but _this_ was the kind of tipsiness that the Japanese girl craved. The heart palpitations and the tears; all of it had been worth it for when their love came to fruition.

Deep within her very soul, Haru believed that the two of them were meant to be together. They were soulmates, herself and Machida, and they had been together for so long already with no real qualms between them. They were meant to be together. They simply had to be.

Haru smiled through her sudden unease and moved a playful foot to gently prod at her boyfriend's leg. She moved it up and down, and mentally savored the subtle contact. Brown, faintly lusted eyes locked hard onto Machida's dark orbs. The slight guilt in his eyes had her immediately frowning in worry.

"Machida, what's wrong?"

"Haru, I-"

"Your bottle of wine, sir," a waiter came by, placing an empty glass beside both of them. He showed the front of a fancy bottle, "The best of the best from our vineyard's shipment."

The at odds couple watched in a joint silence, as the waiter craftily popped the bottle open and smirked elegantly down at them. He poured the blood-red liquid skillfully into both wine glasses. Machida murmured his thanks, as their waiter placed the bottle of fine liquor softly onto their table and bowed politely, silently trotting away.

Haru reached for her glass and took a confused sip, staring pointedly at her boyfriend from over her wine. She quietly took in his appearance, and her eyes scrolled carefully over him. They narrowed somewhat. He did seem particularly suspicious tonight, but there had to be a reasonable explanation for his behavior. Machida _was_ going to propose to her… right?

The woman's thoughts immediately turned back onto the nervous tone that had been in Hiromi's voice earlier. Perhaps she _was_ right. Maybe there was something wrong with Machida…

No, of course not.

Haru's gaze moved up to meet Machida's orbs, and she took a second sip from her wine glass. The brunette stopped cold, her eyes widening in surprise. The look in his stare told her everything. It was sad and heavy.

Haru lowered the glass of wine from her lips. She stared resoundingly at her boyfriend. A deep frown overtook her face, and her jaw gave a hard clench at the realization. Hiromi had been right. The woman's brown eyes narrowed heatedly.

"Machida, what did you do?" Haru softly questioned, her lips tightening in suspense. Her tone demanded an answer.

Machida stared guiltily down at their table. He held both of his hands tightly within his lap, and his thumbs twiddled nervously, the colors of his knuckles turning a stark white.

Haru's voice came out in a low threat. She slowly enunciated her words.

"Machida. Tell. Me. What. You. did."

In his eyes was a terribly guilty gleam. It was a look that practically screamed of adultery. Haru swallowed hard at her throat. On Machida's shoulders sat a heavy weight. It stood over his head and seemed to bring him down. Good. At least Haru could find solace in the fact that her boyfriend felt terrible for _whatever the hell_ it was that he had done behind her back.

The brunette straightened her spine and sat up in her chair, a steely expression taking over her features. Her dark eyes brimmed with an upset rage, and she stared down at him from across the table. Wordlessly, she begged him to admit his sins. Her fingers which were wrapped securely around her wine glass, tightened in a vine-like vice.

"Machida, I won't ask you again. What did you do?"

The man in question visibly shook in his chair with a sincere apology trying to force its way out from under his tongue. He attempted to swallow it down, but suddenly his voice came out in an upset rush.

"I slept with Hiromi, Haru, and I know that it was terrible of me, but it just happened, and I am so, so sorry. Please forgive me."

The brunette could only stare. That was all that she could do, as she was honestly too shocked to do anything else.

A whimpered question finally bubbled out from under her lips, "W-What-"

Her eyes filled with mistrust.

Machida hurriedly reached for her other hand from across the table and held it tightly, softly caressing her appendage. He acted as if he were a bad puppy merely asking her for her forgiveness, looking into her eyes pitifully as if he had simply pissed on her shoes, not the entirety of their relationship.

"Please forgive me, but I just had to tell you. Hiromi didn't want me to mention it, but I thought you deserved to know the truth. Just please know that I don't love Hiromi, Haru. I love you. I truly do, and I love your forgiving nature so much more, so please forgive me for my mistakes Haru. Please."

The woman could only stare in dubious shock, as the man began to grovel before her, leaning over the table and continuously rubbing her hand in a soothing circle. The way he had his head bent kept him from being able to see her eyes, but Machida was glad for that. He hated seeing the blatant hurt in her eyes; the heartbreaking pain that had been caused by the betrayal performed by both him and Hiromi.

"Y-You and H-Hiromi," Haru barely muttered, and she weakly stuttered over her words, "Y-You and…"

Drenched in sweat, the way her voice trailed off made Machida look up with a hopeful gaze. There came a flash of movement, and the gleam in his eyes was suddenly dashed when Haru splashed her glass of wine in his face. She let out a shuddering breath. Quickly, the woman's backbone straightened, and she stood up from amidst the crowd of candlelit tables.

"You and Hiromi?" Haru roared her angry question, while knowingly catching the attention of many bystanders and not caring in the slightest, " _You and Hiromi?_ "

Machida shook visibly from his seat and glanced nervously around himself at the other patrons. He put up his hands in a placating gesture and tried desperately to reign in his girlfriend's anger, "Please control yourself Haru! It was a mistake, nothing but a horrible, terrible mistake! Seriously, it was a fling. It meant nothing-"

"Well good, because obviously it's not the _only_ thing that meant nothing!"

"Haru, please sit down," Machida quietly begged her, nervously edging away from their table. He glanced around at the hundreds of eyes that were staring pointedly in his direction and shook his wine-drenched hair, "You are starting to cause a scene."

Haru screeched, "A scene, Machida? _A scene?_ Oh, I cannot believe this. I cannot believe _you_. Oh my god, I cannot believe that Hiromi would-"

The brunette raised a knuckle up to her lips and bit nervously at the bone. She stared dubiously over it, as Machida stood up to glare angrily from his stance.

"Now I paid a _lot_ for this meal Haru, and you know that, so would you _please_ just sit down before we end up getting thrown out of this place and onto the street?"

Haru's eyes widened, and she threw down her arm, shaking her head painfully at his stupidity. God, he was so ridiculous! This entire _situation_ was so ridiculous!

"How did this seem like a good idea? How did _any_ of this seem like a good idea?" She shrieked up at him, referring to the beautifully decorated and expensive restaurant that sat around them, "I am so done with you Machida. I am so done."

As Haru was bending down to grab her purse, her now ex-boyfriend let out a barking laugh and audibly chided her behavior. He stared hatefully through his wet bangs. The man made a show of looking toward their audience as he spoke, "Honestly, the maitre d' will probably be coming over here at any minute to escort you out, Haru. You're just crazy. Completely out of control."

As Machida continued to talk her down, he felt his heart turn colder when she turned away from him, only to pause and glare blazingly over her shoulder. The hand around her small purse tightened brutally. Her hazel eyes shone with a hateful threat, and they heatedly met his own. She deliberately lifted her nose in distaste.

"No need. I can escort myself out."

Haru's voice came out blunt and distant, and Machida could only watch in silent shock as she began to walk out of the crowded restaurant, mutely maneuvering her way through the mass of stunned couples. Their eyes followed her every movement with an intense focus until she finally walked out the front door, before their gazes eventually returned to stare patronizingly at Machida. The stunned man slowly fell back into his seat. He stared wide-eyed in front of himself, as a brisk waiter came up from behind him and asked him to leave.

"I am sorry sir, but you and your lady friend have distracted all of the other guests for far too long tonight. I shall promptly escort you out, if you do not mind."

Machida could only nod heavily at the man's request and stand up, before taking a drained step forward. It was all he could do, but follow the man guiltily out the front door, while numbly staring down at the floor beneath him. He mutely passed by all of the restaurant's occupants, and shied away into himself, as they gazed in incrimination at his back. Once he was finally brought outside, a low murmuring broke out across the room. A deep frown was on every person's face.

One woman even scowled fumingly from her seat and pocketed the tiny, black velveteen box that she was just about to give her girlfriend of thirteen months, that is, until the pair had been so rudely interrupted by the repercussions of the wine-covered prick's actions. _Surely infidelity_ , the black-haired woman assumed. She moped delicately, as she heard her girlfriend give a small croon from beside her, audibly lamenting the sadness that had been practically tangible in the tiny brunette's eyes. Oh, that poor, straight Asian girl.

"She looks so heartbroken… Poor young thing. How could a man just go and do that to a girl?"

The annoyed woman only tightened her hand into a complacent fist and placed it thoughtfully under her chin, "I don't know, but this is _exactly_ why I don't date men. Too much thinking with the parts and not enough with the heart, but that's just my humble opinion… Granted, not _all_ men are complete sleazebags. Just a fair portion of them."

"Like him," her girlfriend surmised and pursed her lips into a concerned line. She could not help but feel completely sympathetic for the poor woman, as the girl's heels had clicked out of the front door. No one deserved to have their trust broken so publicly and crudely; no one.

Both could only stare with narrowed eyes, as the dark-haired man was led out of the establishment. His head was held down in shame, and his shoulders sagged from under the weight of his accountability. The awarding sight of witnessing his heavy guilt forced a proud gleam to enter their eyes. Perhaps karma was not real, but it damn sure felt like it was. Funny how fate always manages to come back for someone in the end.

 _Good riddance_ , the two women silently agreed.

Sullenly, they both continued on with their meal, but soon found that their night had been ruined. Nothing could bring back the mood; the laid back flirting and the deep conversation that they had been enjoying.

Concerned thoughts for the hazel-eyed female had only seemed to waver the women's attention, and they both eventually called the night quits, before returning home to their shared apartment. Though the women's future had been put on a slight hold, the pair still loved each other and nothing could ever change that. They were soulmates, and they could take however long they needed to determine their lives, and besides, they were almost certain that no one was having as terrible a night as the woman who had stalked out of the restaurant earlier.

* * *

Haru felt like screaming at the sky, as she stepped outside the dimly lit restaurant. A thin, heartbreaking mumble escaped her lips, and she muttered softly with each step. The woman trudged indignantly and wobbled unsteadily down the edge of the sidewalk, a new tear forming with every footfall. Each entered from the very corners of her eyes and stung her retinas, turning her orbs a striking shade of red.

Haru airily kicked off her heels and picked them up, holding the precious shoes tightly up to her breast. The edge of her hand held taut against the piece of skin that was left open from her one shoulder dress. With a small start, she discovered that her heart was hammering in her chest. A broken sob escaped her. Suddenly, the woman felt like bawling her eyes out. Life was unfair. _Her_ life was unfair. She felt like everything was falling in on her. Then, it was as if all of the fight had suddenly left her.

Haru began to cry, starting off as a thin whimper, until the sorrow in her heart began to make her body wrack in pure anguish. She shook heavily, as she wobbled along and accidentally tripped over her own footing, rushing to lean her body precariously against the dimly lit wall of a building. She leaned her back against the cool stone. Slowly, she fell to her knees and threw her head down, weeping softly into her hands. As she cried, one hand moved down to finger at the inside of her purse, and she desperately felt around for her cellphone. Finally grasping it, the woman sniffled heavily and brought the phone up to stare tiredly at its screen. She struggled to press the required buttons and let out a curt curse word, before she finally managed to call someone.

The sound of dial tone rang in her ears.

Haru's eyes closed in a pitying sorrow, and her head fell back onto the wall behind her. A few more sobs wracked through her body. There came a clicking noise, and a beautiful voice entered her ears.

"Haru?" The woman felt a rush of relief when she heard the soothing sound of her mother's voice. She sniffled indelicately in reply, and a quick intake of breath was heard. Her mother's voice took on a sharp edge, "Haru, baby what's wrong?"

All of the pain from the night came rushing back to her, and Haru's heart broke all over again. She began to shed a new, fresh set of tears; a mournful wail leaving her lips and traveling into the phone, "M-Mamma, p-please come. I need you."

Naoko Yoshioka could be heard already getting dressed on the other side of the line. She threw on a pair of old pajamas and tennis shoes. As she got ready, the older woman spoke worriedly into her phone, "Haru, what happened? Where are you right now?"

When nothing but heart wrenching sobs answered her, Haru's mother let out an irritated groan. She yelled, "Haru Yoshioka, you answer me this instance!"

The sound of an engine starting rang throughout Haru's ears. Her daughter softly whimpered, "T-The old butcher's shop. I'm sitting out f-front."

"But that place is so far from home-"

"M-Machida was t-taking me out on a _d-date_ ," Haru managed to stutter. A renewed rush of sorrow shook through her, "I c-can't explain. Just p-please come get me."

Her mother paused in understanding, although she had no clue as to what had happened, and sighed sadly. She finally murmured, "Okay, hun. Okay. It is all okay. Everything is fine. Just stay on the line with me and take in a few deep, calming breaths, alright? In and out. In and out. That's my girl."

Like a child, Haru followed her mother's instructions and tried to take in a slew of soothing breaths, before she accidentally hiccuped over her cries. She shook from her place on the ground and looked through her red-stained eyes at the world around her. It was all so stifling yet bright. Too bright; too stifling. The neon lights were simply too much for her at night. They hurt her eyes and helped to further blur her vision. She blinked at the tears that had smudged the view from within her mind's eye.

"Okay, I am getting close hun. Could you head towards the curb?"

Haru gave a mute nod through her cellphone and sniveled quietly, blearily using the wall behind her as a tall support to stand against. She stared flatly down at the road before her. After a long moment, a pair of headlights sullenly brightened her vision, and then reflected on the dank pavement before her. The slam of a car door hit her ears, and Haru blinked silently. She felt the warm hardness of her mother constricting her within her arms and gave a melancholic smile. Her head fell forward. She cried hopelessly into her mother's shoulder.

Naoko Yoshioka shushed her daughter gently and held her up close to her chest, crooning soft nothings into her ear. Her hand rubbed gentle circles into Haru's back. She held onto her daughter with a death-like vice and hugged her consolingly.

Haru cried and cried. Eventually, she stuttered, "I-It happened a-again Momma."

Naoko blinked, but tightened her grip, and held her daughter even closer to her front. After a lengthy minute of gentle consoling and a few hot tears from Haru, she finally asked, "What happened again sweetie?"

Haru gave a small whimper and rested her head on her mother's chest. She took in a steady, calming breath, before she was ultimately able to reply a weak, "H-Hiromi."

Naoko stopped cold, her hands locking on instinct. Regarding Haru nervously, the elder Yoshioka gave a shuddering sigh. She laid the crown of her head consolingly atop Haru's hair and silently closed her eyes. Though the woman was still not entirely sure of what her daughter meant by her statement, the redhead was intelligent enough to be able to lock the pieces together, and she was pretty sure of what Haru was trying to tell her. The implications were far too similar, eerie even, although the fact of that failed to lessen the immediate pain in Naoko's gut. A heavy weight settled over her heart.

Naoko's arms loosened in their hold against Haru's seemingly fragile form, and the brunette shut her eyes in over-tiredness. The two women stood in a joint silence.

Finally, Naoko raised a hand and ran it gently through her daughter's hair, soothing Haru with her calm touch. Her crafty fingers dug softly through her extended tresses, before coming to rest behind her daughter in another embrace. The devoted mother felt a surge of regret bitterly strike her heart.

"Oh, Haru. Just _what_ has this boy done to you?"

* * *

 **And scene. This is so beautiful, I just- I can't. So much drama for one little chapter. I hope that you're all not too upset with me for putting Haru through some stuff... _Anyways_ , I am on vacation in Disney World right now, but it is about to end, so maybe I can really get to work on manufacturing some more chapters for ya'll. I hope that you'll all decide to stick around for what's to come. Thank you everyone for the lovely reviews and follows, and I hope to meet more of you in the future. (: **

**Till next time, xoxo.**


	3. Defying Gravity

_And if I'm flying solo,  
At least I'm flying free.  
To those who'd ground me,  
Take a message back from me.  
Tell them how I am  
Defying Gravity.  
_\- Wicked: The Musical "Defying Gravity"

* * *

Haru closed the door to her bathroom and locked it behind her. Walking over to her bathroom mirror, she stopped cold, staring at the image looking back at her. Two trails of dried tear stains went down both cheeks. She took in a deep breath and turned away from her reflection, slowly making her way toward her bedside table. Her dull gaze glanced up at the alarm clock sitting atop it. The time read three A.M.

Haru sighed regrettably. Pulling on the drawer by the handle, the woman reached inside and grabbed a pair of sharp cutting scissors. She firmly shoved the drawer shut behind her and quietly made her way back into the bathroom, taking a moment to stop fully in front of her mirror. The woman's eyes glowered hollowly at her mirrored image. She raised the scissors determinedly up to her hair.

The first thing Haru did was cut her wavy tresses.

The brokenhearted woman laid her front tearfully against the counter of her sink and threw her face into the crook of her arm, shaking violently.

The second thing she did was cry into her arms.

* * *

Haru woke up to the blaring sound of knocking on her door. Blinking, she blearily peeked through her dark lashes. They gradually opened, before she finally stared confusedly around herself. After a moment, the woman's gaze sharpened with a sudden clarity. She paused visibly. Haru noticed with a light humor that she was sprawled out on the bathroom floor with her head laid haphazardly against the bathroom cabinets. God, she felt so sore.

The furious knocking quickly continued.

"Haru? Haru!" came the frantic screaming of her mother, as she banged feverishly on the door. An edge of panic entered her voice, and she jiggled hurriedly on the knob, "Haru you didn't hurt yourself, did you? Oh god, I knew that I shouldn't have went home last night. Haru!"

Her daughter let out a thin chuckle and painfully moved herself into a sitting position. Her legs felt heavy and as dull as lead. She swallowed thickly, her throat suddenly feeling terribly icky. It scratched at her vocal chords, and she swallowed again, quickly clearing out her throat. She winced when sound came out as a low and pained noise, before she was eventually able to ease her mother's fears.

"I'm fine Mom," she croaked sorely with a slight sneer, "Not dead yet."

*A breathy sound of relief met her ears; one that had Haru feeling very appreciative toward her mother. Even though she did not have Hiromi anymore, it was comforting to know that she would always have her mother for support, no matter what, and she would most likely be needing a _lot_ of support. Sure, the woman was moderately strong – strong-willed, at least – but it was nice to have someone that she could count on one-hundred percent on her side. Someone who loved her unconditionally and was willing to wait for anything in order to defend her in her corner.

Haru tried to push herself up, but fumbled with the strength in her legs. She pushed up on the ground beneath her, as her gaze trailed down onto the floor, and she became still. The rushing pain of upchuck filled her throat. Hair was practically everywhere. Real hair; _her_ hair. It was sickening. The sight of it was as clear to her as the faint betrayal that she continuously felt in her heart.

 _Oh my god,_ the brunette thought her cry, as she became physically sick.

She hurriedly forced down the sudden urge inside of her to hurl.

Haru _knew_ those brown tresses far too well. The brunette's stomach turned into knots, and she continued to struggle to pick herself up. God, so much of her hair was on the ground. She seriously felt like she needed to hurl.

Eerily, she managed, "M-Mom, I think I did something."

"Haru?" her mother immediately questioned through the door, "Haru, what did you do? Haru?"

Haru listened, as her mother commenced to wiggle at the door handle. A pained smile tilted on the edges of her lips, as her legs shuffled uselessly. She sighed tiredly, wearily placing a cool hand over her throat. Within herself, the gullet felt torn and rough. The sensation was a sure indication of her pained state and sorrow.

Haru instantly felt a surge of anger run through her. No! There would be no more crying on her part. The woman's hand shook slightly, as she placed it back down beside her. She steadied herself and quietly harrumphed at her situation. A final resolve abruptly came to her. Determinedly, she put both of her hands on the sink behind her and pushed forward, gradually scooting herself along the ground toward the bathroom door.

 _Pathetic, but at least it's working_ , the brunette thought sardonically.

She let out a loud grunt, and her mother's brow rose at the sound.

Confusedly, Naoko lilted, "Haru, just _what_ in the hell are you doing in there? Unlock this door, please."

After a long moment of audible struggling, Haru finally made it over to the door and reached up to grab the handle. A sucked in breath of air sounded throughout the room. The absurdity of the entire situation had her fuming at the top of her lungs. The poor woman came up short of the offending object by only a few, mere inches. A strangled cry left her lips.

"Can't you hear me trying?" Haru frustratingly cried. The woman placed a shaking hand over her stomach. Though she had only just promised herself to not cry, it was definitely hard not to weep when it seemed like life was hell bent on working against her. Angrily, she screamed, as the urge to sob almost broke her. The brunette's other hand reached fruitlessly in a vain attempt to turn the knob. She yelled, "It's difficult to do anything, especially when your legs aren't working right from sleeping on them all night!"

Haru's mother took in her sudden closeness and waited patiently. She crossed her arms silently behind her, and her dark eyes traveled down the bottom of the doorway. A small chuckle escaped her. She stared amusedly toward the grey shadow which moved wildly through the crack below the door. A faint smile graced her features.

Patiently, Naoko watched, as her daughter thrashed in her struggle to open the door. The brunette smirked when Haru released a proud exclamation, finally managing to unlock the blasted contraption. The expression was instantly exchanged into a look of pure shock.

"Haru you're hair! It's so short!"

Haru stared dejectedly up at her mother. She sighed despairingly, "I know. Feel free to bask in its glory."

The hazel-eyed woman regarded her mother, as the older Yoshioka took a muted, yet awed step closer to her. She paused visibly. After a lengthy second, the cautious redhead gingerly reached out to finger at Haru's cropped mane. The tips of her digits grasped dubiously at a few cropped strands, and she stared widely, a comically stunned expression appearing in her dark eyes. A soft sigh escaped her.

"Haru, why did you do this? You _loved_ your hair. Now it's only… what, an inch in length?"

"I know, I know," Haru mumbled. She stretched a tired hand out for her mother to grasp, "I messed up royally. Could you please just help me up off the ground?"

Naoko stared regrettably at the chopped locks lying beneath them, but dutifully took the offered appendage. She strengthened her stance and fought to lift her daughter from the harsh bathroom floor. A breathy snort left her.

"Is it just me or have you gotten heavier?" Naoko grunted her joke, although it was more of an actual statement than a quip, "Gosh Haru, what have you been eating lately? Rocks?"

Sarcasm practically dripped from Haru's lips, "Yeah, I'm eating rocks. Rocky Road, that is. Butt loads of Rocky Road."

The brunette paused, but added, "By the way, thanks for buying me the tub earlier."

" _No problem_ ," her mother grunted, as she gradually managed to drag her daughter onto her feet, "You're still my baby, after all. Well, maybe a bigger baby, but that's for another day. Are you alright?"

Haru blinked and rested a hand over her small belly. It poked out slightly from her previous emotional food binge. She smiled faintly, now feeling much better than how she had been on the floor.

"Actually, I feel-"

A rush of bile rose up into her throat.

"- _bad!_ Gotta puke, gotta puke!"

Naoko watched with a raised brow, as her daughter hurried over to her toilet and stooped over the bowl with her hands poised on both sides. They tightened, and Haru began to throw up an ugly mixture of acid and brown ice cream. Her mother crossed the small room and put a gentle hand to her back. She rubbed soft circles into her daughter's back, as the younger woman emptied out all of what was left of the contents inside her stomach.

"That's it; let it all out. You'll feel better in a bit," her mother carefully soothed. She stared in mild wonder, as Haru continued to puke out her guts, "Oh, wow you certainly ate a lot last night."

Haru shook from the pressure on her upper half, but jibed, "Maybe _you_ ate a lot last night."

The reply sounded drunk and annoyed, but Naoko idly patted Haru's back.

"No, I didn't," she replied good-humoredly, "Nice comeback though."

Haru wiped exhaustedly at her mouth and humorlessly flushed the toilet. She stood up, leaning haphazardly against her mother for support, and asked, "Can you help me into the living room?"

Naoko smiled comfortingly toward her daughter and pulled her in close, already steadying Haru's footing. She leaned her head understandingly over her daughter's forehead and just held her for a long moment. A content breath leisurely left her.

"Of course," her mother whispered pleasurably, "Although, I think that it would be smart if we got you cleaned up first. Okay?"

Haru nodded weakly, "Yeah. That would probably be best."

* * *

Haru sat exhaustedly in the living room, looking around herself with a muted sickness in her gut. A lone tear settled in the edge of her left eye. Her hands tightened, then became lame. She sighed sadly, as her mind traveled back onto the memory of her altercation with Machida the previous night. It still upset the woman; everything about her ex's infidelity. _Especially_ how he had went about telling her.

"Who the hell does that?" Haru furiously cried from her seat on the couch.

The pissed off brunette reached over to pick up a comfy couch pillow and threw it over her face, pressing it harshly into her skin. She screamed indelicately into the fabric, a huffy sniff leaving her.

Hatefully, she muttered, "Stupid Machida. Stupid Hiromi."

A gleam of hurt shone in her eyes. The woman's fragile heart broke once more at the thought of her old friends. Her used-to-be friends. Her ex friends… The two of them had single-handedly damaged her trust in people, taking her heart and crushing it into a million, tiny little pieces. She could practically feel it shattering hollowly within her chest.

Haru closed her eyes. She let out a soft whimper and drew in her legs up to her chest, letting out a low breath. She laid her head forlornly atop the arm of her couch and stared blankly at the wooden, short-legged coffee table in front of her. She tapped distractedly on the couch's fabric, her gaze saddening further. A shuttering sigh emitted from her lips.

Both Machida's and Hiromi's treachery had wounded her deeply.

"What assholes," she muttered beneath her breath, as she gazed with a piercing melancholy in her eyes.

The clinking noise of Haru's mother making tea in the kitchen could be heard from over the ever-thickening silence surrounding the brunette, and Haru frowned perceptively. A sharp intake of air was given by the young woman, as her fingers continued to tap religiously at the couch. She panicked. The movement in her fingers became more rapid when she caught the cheerful, offhanded hums that carried into the room, as Naoko carefully poured a cup of warm water for her daughter. She could only imagining the wonderful substance steaming silently.

The calm feeling around her; it was not peaceful in the slightest.

Haru stopped her insistent fidgeting to grasp tautly at the couch with her digits digging haphazardly into the fabric. A shudder wracked through her when she realized that she felt irrevocably lost within the weighted quietness. It was deafening. The weight was immovable. She sullenly noted that there came no happy chattering from Hiromi, and that there was no adorable grumbling from Machida. Those glorious sounds would never again greet her ears.

Only a dense, unimaginable stillness.

* * *

At that exact same moment, a dark headed man sat behind his laptop. A deep sarcasm was rooted within his dark orbs, as he typed furiously against his keyboard. His thin fingers moved with a practiced quickness, clicking on the keys like lightning. Raspy, breathy laughter erupted through his lips. A beautiful work of art sat before him; he truly believed.

The man guffawed at something that he typed. A small, grinning smirk formed along his angular jaw, and he squared his shoulders. Just as he was about to begin a new paragraph, there came a sudden tap on his shoulder. The male glanced curiously over his shoulder to stare up at the enormous person who was standing exasperatedly behind him.

The well-known person moved his meaty hands and tiredly asked, "Is that dumb thing you're doing up yet?"

The gruff voice made the darker haired man let out a frustrated groan, and he turned in his seat to face his much larger friend. He raised his arms away from his laptop in order to quickly move his hands, and his limbs stirred furiously. His mouth remained still, as he signed, his lips turning into a reedy frown.

" _Well, I would be if you would let me do it, you fatso,"_ he signaled hotly, _"Besides, I'm almost done."_

The raven haired male threw his slender hands back onto his laptop. He placed the grey contraption into his lap and continued to type. A harrumph came from the meaty, thick-skinned man. He stood above the thinner man's shoulder and crossed his arms around his big belly, curiously scrutinizing the screen. His brown eyes narrowed in concentration, as he read the webpage that the smaller gentleman was currently working on. He quickly tapped the skinny man's shoulder again.

The raven haired man took in a sharp breath and snapped his neck to stare at dangerously at his friend.

" _What?"_ his hands rapidly flustered, and his jaw clenched, _"What is it?"_

The bigger man stared for a long moment, until he finally shook his head, and carefully moved his hands in the direction of his friend.

Wearily, he said, "You know Baron isn't going to like this at all, right?"

His friend merely shrugged and offhandedly signed, _"Well, obviously he would never allow us to help him-"_

He paused, before ultimately gesturing, _"Besides, once it's done, it's done. Baron will thank us later."_

"Yeah, after he mutilates us," the massive gentleman sighed, "Okay, whatever. Fine. But we will keep this as a secret for now, okay birdbrain? Completely hush-hush, capiche? Baron is not to know or-"

The man lovingly, or not so lovingly, called 'birdbrain' merely grinned and gestured with his fingers. He gave his friend a big and extremely sure expression, before turning back to his computer.

" _I've got this, tubby. Trust me."_

With a few more clicks on the keys of his laptop, the man put a hand on his mousepad and expertly uploaded whatever it was that he was working up onto the internet. He looked up, giving his friend a sarcastic beam. His next words came out in a cheeky flourish.

" _Now it's your turn."_

* * *

Naoko stood awkwardly in the doorway of Haru's apartment with one hand poised on her purse, the other on the doorknob. She gazed concernedly down at Haru, who sat contentedly on her couch with her legs crossed beneath her bum, gently nursing her third cup of tea for the evening. The woman sighed worriedly.

Haru took another sip of her beverage. The tea was delicious and homey, as her mother's tea always seemed to taste the same every time that the woman drank it. The sameness was incredibly comforting, and the feeling of it had the brunette sighing softly into the cushions of her couch. She smiled up at her mother, as the redhead reached up to bring in the strap of her purse closer to her side.

"Are you sure that you'll be alright, Haru?" the fretting mother asked delicately, "Because you know that I can stay for the rest of the night if you really feel like you need me to stay-"

"I'm good," Haru rapidly cut through her mother's suggestion with her legs crossed airily below her. She smiled slightly from her place on the couch, "Seriously Mom, I'll be fine. No more crying. No more short hair scares. You're completely free to go."

Haru gestured her hand towards the door and lipped a small smirk. Her mother let out an unsure noise of protest. Immediately, Haru felt herself frown slightly.

Naoko mumbled, "I'm just not sure-"

Haru rolled her dark eyes and playfully yelled, "Mom, go! Honestly, it's like trying to get rid of a puppy."

Her mother merely stared mutely into the depths of her daughter's gaze, before she finally let out a heavy sigh and nodded subconsciously. She felt a miniscule, upward turn in the corners of her lips.

"If you say so," the redhead eventually muttered. Her words came out slow and unconvinced, "But only because you say that you're okay."

Naoko fumbled with the inside of her purse, before pulling out a fluffy set of car keys. They clinked clumsily in her grasp, and she gave Haru a long stare. The younger woman could only stare on with a raised brow.

Haru could tell that her mother was trying to buy all of the time that she had left with her precious daughter. Not that the concern was not appreciated… but it was certainly not warranted. She gave her mother an amused expression.

"You missing something?" Haru airily asked.

Her mother swallowed and slowly muttered, "You _do_ know that I would stay if you needed me, right?"

The brunette guffawed indelicately.

"I know mother. Now, goodnight!"

"Touchy, touchy," Naoko placed a somewhat mocking hand over her heart, "Kicking me out so soon? How you wound me."

Haru chuckled and jokingly shooed her mother from her comfy spot. She easily threatened, "You know how I puked earlier into that toilet earlier? Don't make me puke on you, too!"

The hazel-eyed woman giggled, as her mother screwed up her nose at the thought.

"Fair point. Okay, I'm gone just," Naoko paused and looked her daughter square in the eyes, "Just please don't use the scissors anymore… I'd hate to come back here to find that more things other than your hair was cut. For example, your wrists or your arms-"

"Mom I'm sad, not suicidal. Besides, I've had a few hours to be able to take in my new look, and I'm actually starting to think that it fits me. The cut is short and spunky. I'm short and spunky. My hair is new and edgy. I'm old, but hey, I still look pretty damn edgy-"

Naoko laughed and shook her head.

"Also, the normal look for a woman's hair is becoming shorter and shorter nowadays… Believe it or not, I actually think it's kind of cute."

Her mother simply shrugged her shoulders, but gazed at her daughter good-naturedly.

"Whatever you say Haru. Well, I guess it's time I go. I've prolonged my stay long enough, because obviously you're trying to kick me out right now… so bye, hun. Call me if you need anything!"

As her mother waved and opened the door, Haru quipped, "Got it. Love you!"

"You too, baby girl!" Naoko called, as she gently closed the door behind her.

A sudden silence surrounded Haru. The woman in question only paused, staring mutely in front of herself, before she quickly downed the rest of her tea. She leaned forward to place the empty cup onto the glass saucer that sat before her on the coffee table, before she hurriedly reached for the throw pillow that laid beside her. Her hands grasped around the soft cushion, and she lifted the offending object, throwing the piece of fabric tightly against her face. She shrieked piercingly into its cottony fibers.

Haru suddenly dropped the pillow and took in a series of measured, bottomless breaths. She breathed in and out, continuously. Her hands moved to fiddle tirelessly in her lap. They inched to do something, and her brain cried out for anything interesting enough to fully capture her attention. The woman needed a distraction, but the question was, what.

Instantly, a thought struck Haru. The adult hurriedly hopped out of her seat and ran into her bedroom in order to speedily grab her laptop from atop her bedsheets. A large smile graced her plain features. Gripping onto the moderately sized contraption, the brown-haired woman trotted back into the living room and opened up her tiny desktop, opening her web browser. A blank screen stared back at her.

Now came a very important conundrum for the young brunette. What _does_ one look up when they are a loose cannon with no boyfriend, no job, and nothing to lose?

The woman sat in silence, until she threw an elated hand up into the air.

"Kittens!" the woman inexplicably enthused.

Haru blinked wildly and began to rapidly type her search into Google. Under her breath, she muttered, "Yep, I just _have_ to look up kittens. I need to, because cats make everything better. Yeah. Of course."

As she stared complacently at the many cat pictures on her screen, the woman suddenly let out a substantial breath, and her shoulders fell a bit in her stupid search for kitten enthused happiness. It all seemed utterly nonsensical and useless. Still, she wanted that small bit of weightlessness, and this was a hell lot safer than turning to alcoholism.

Haru groaned and moved her mouse back up to click on her search bar. She tiredly began to type a few words into the long white line.

Uselessly, she grumbled, "Maybe I should just look up that sneezing panda on YouTube again."

* * *

 **Oh my goodness, this chapter is finally done. Hallelujah! What do you think of the new story summary? While writing this chapter I suffered from a major case of writer syndrome, and I have been very busy lately between family business, first year of college stuff, and seeing a taping of Family Feud... Yeah, the last one is pretty out there, lol. Anyways, I hope that you guys are ready for fluff because _I am_! Seriously, you have no idea how much it kills me to have to go so slow, as I don't usually write such long stories, but I will try my absolute best to make sure this story as good and sweet as possible in order to keep all of you guys interested! But for everyone, this is INDEED a HaruxBaron story, so don't worry my friends! Our favorite creation (although a human in this story) will be coming up very soon! Until then, please stay tuned and willing to put up with my problems, because let's face it. I have a lot of problems. xD **

**Also, I apologize in advance for my terribly sarcastic and probably horrible sense of humor.**

 **Till next time, xoxo.**


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